Evaluation Committee Selects Three Firms to Submit Design Concepts for New UH Logo

The evaluation committee overseeing the process for the selection of a new logo for the University of Hawaiʻi has chosen three graphic design firms to create and submit concepts for consideration. The three firms were chosen from a field of 42 who submitted qualifications.

"The evaluation committee was very impressed with the qualifications submitted by the graphic designers and firms," said Evaluation Committee Chairperson Francis Oda. "After thorough review and analysis of all those who offered their qualifications, the three selected were chosen for their overall experience, knowledge of Hawaiʻi and the university, and for the quality of their previous graphic identity work."

The three firms chosen are:

· Graphic House of Honolulu

· Clarence Lee Design & Associates, Inc. of Honolulu

· Sae design of Maui

Each will be paid $5,000 to create and submit up to two design concepts which will be made available for public comment. The evaluation committee will then select a designer and/or firm and its design concept to be presented to the UH Board of Regents for approval. The successful designer and/or firm will be paid an additional $5,000 to complete the final design. The committee also has the right to reject any and/or all designs submitted for consideration.

BACKGROUND

In the 2002 strategic plan, the university was charged with advancing the unique identities of each individual college while communicating the benefits of one integrated system. The Office of External Affairs and University Relations immediately began examining how each campus and the university system was perceived both internally and externally.

Research showed that UH‘s brand image was fractured with over 150 logos in use system-wide. They also found that the university had no distinct message or theme and that many programs failed to mention their affiliation with UH. Without a consistent brand image, it was nearly impossible for audiences to recognize the values of the university identified by the strategic plan such as access, affordability, excellence, diversity, fairness and equity.

In April 2003, two designs resulting from the initial process to establish a new system-wide identity for the University of Hawaiʻi were withdrawn from consideration in response to community concern. The UH Board of Regents then formed a Task Group on Graphic Identity to develop an action plan for proceeding with the graphic identity project and a process for development of a new UH system logo.